The present invention generally relates to a ventilating fan having a built-in lighting unit (hereinafter referred to as a "ventilating fan/light combination") and, more particularly, to a ventilating fan/light combination which is mainly mounted on a ceiling of a living room, a bathroom or an office. The ventilating fan/light combination is connected with a duct provided in the ceiling which is open to, or communicates with, the outdoors so as to ventilate the living room, the bathroom or the office.
FIG. 7 shows a known ventilating fan/light combination of this kind including a ventilating fan housing 101 formed into a generally boxlike shape. The ventilating fan housing 101 has an opening 102 formed at its lower portion and is attached to a ceiling panel 120. A fan 105 includes a motor 104 to which a vane 103 is fixed. The fan 105 is inserted into the ventilating fan housing 101 so as to be secured to the ventilating fan housing 101 such that a suction port 106 of the fan 104 confronts the opening 102. A decorative laminate 107 is mounted from an indoor side in the opening 102. A lighting unit casing 110 having a light receptacle 108 is fixed to a central portion of the decorative laminate 107 and is provided integrally with a reflector 109.
A fluorescent lamp 111 is detachably mounted on the light receptacle 108. A cord 112 having a power source connector 112a at its distal end extends from the light receptacle 108 such that the power source connector 112a is coupled with a power source receptacle 113 provided in the ventilating fan housing 101. A lighting cover 114 is detachably mounted on the central portion of the decorative laminate 107.
When the known ventilating fan/light combination of the above described arrangement is installed on the ceiling panel 120 and is operated, the ventilating fan housing 101 is initially mounted on the ceiling panel 120. Then, after the power source connector 112a of the cord 112 has been coupled with the power source receptacle 113 provided in the ventilating fan housing 101, the decorative laminate 107 on which the lighting unit casing 110 is integrally mounted is fixed to the ventilating fan housing 101.
However, in this conventional ventilating fan/light combination, the following drawbacks are incurred. These drawbacks are due not only to its general construction, in which the lighting unit casing 110 is provided integrally with the reflector 109, and the lighting unit casing 110 and the lighting cover 114 are mounted on the decorative laminate 107, but also to the construction of the decorative laminate 107 itself. Namely, when the fluorescent lamp 111 is turned on, leakage of light from the lighting unit casing 110 and through a gap between the lighting unit casing 110 and the decorative laminate 107 takes place. Meanwhile, upon inflow of humidity into the lighting unit casing 110, its electrical insulating property deteriorates. Furthermore, since the lighting unit casing 110 is disposed at a central portion of the opening 102 so as to block air flow through the opening 102, the ventilating capability deteriorates. Moreover, since the fluorescent lamp 111 is mounted horizontally, side walls of the lighting unit casing 110 obstruct mounting of the fluorescent lamp 111 on and detachment of the fluorescent lamp 111 from the lighting unit casing 110. Thus, such a problem arises that it is difficult to mount the fluorescent lamp 111 on and detach the fluorescent lamp 111 from the lighting unit casing 110.